Mistrust

Sitting in the dining car, Alice and Tristan enjoyed a meal of roast lamb, parsley potatoes and green beans sauteed in almond infused butter.

“So tell me Tristan,” she said sipping her tea “how did you get my father’s blessing?”

“Well,” he shrugged “I fibbed a little.”

“Oh no,” Alice said closing her eyes. “Without his blessing, Draco can challenge us and force me to marry him.”

“No he can’t,” Tristan said sternly. “I have his blessing providing I can prove to him that I’m not a buffoon and can provide a stable and proper life worthy of you.”

“How do you plan on doing that,” Alice asked sharply. “Everything to you is a matter to be joked about at one time or another.”

“What do you expect,” he shot back hurt. “Every thought I’ve had of a serious nature was credited to somebody putting those ideas in my head. I’ve been told I was too immature to be rational and not amount to much unless the silliness was knocked from me. So I have done what is expected of me.”

“I see,” Alice nodded. “This ring is your way of what? Is this how you think everybody will take you seriously?”

“NO,” he said with a deeply hurt look in his eyes. “It’s my way of proving that my love for you is genuine. If you don’t want to believe me…then you can run to Draco’s arms!”

Getting up, he returned to their car.

Getting up from the table, Alice headed back to the car and found Tristan sitting there crying.

“I’m sorry I spoke to so harshly against you for no reason,” Alice said apologetically. “I know your heart is true and that is why I said yes to you.”

“Alice I just don’t know how to prove to your father that I’m truly worthy of your hand,” Tristan said concerned. “If I can’t he might not have any choice but allow Draco to have his way.”

“I have an idea,” she said taking his hands. “Uncle Rosario knows all the business owners in town. Perhaps if you allow him to set you up with jobs during the day in order to save up some coins maybe that would show some responsibility. That would be a start.”

“My father wouldn’t hear of such a thing,” Tristan said frustrated.

“He might if you allow me to speak to him,” Alice said lovingly.

“If you can convince him and he agrees to your idea,” Tristan said doubtfully “I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

Taking a quill and ink from her bag, Alice set about writing three letters. The first was to her father.

MY DEAREST FATHER,

WE ARE ON OUR WAY HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND THE ESTEEMED HOSPITALITY OF YOUR COMPANY. AS SUCH, I HAVE RECEIVED WORD FROM COUNT FELIX VAN BREUHER THAT HE SHALL BE IN YOUR COMPANY AS WELL AS HIS ELDEST SON DRACO.

IT IS DRACO’S INTENT TO ASK YOU FOR YOUR BLESSING TO MARRY ME THREE NIGHTS AFTER I HAVE FINISHED MY LESSONS. I KNOW IT IS SOLELY UPON YOUR DISCRETION THAT YOUR CHOICE WILL BE MADE. HOWEVER, I PRAY THEE NOT TO ALLOW HIM SUCH AS HE REQUESTS.

PLEASE ALLOW ANOTHER TO PROVE HIMSELF WORTHY. HE HAS SPOKEN HIS INTENTIONS TO ME AND I HAVE AGREED TO CONSIDER AND HONOR HIS REQUEST. IF IT IS BY YOUR GRACE I SHOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS IN FURTHER DETAIL UPON MY ARRIVAL.

RESPECTFULLY,
ALICE DI DRACULA

P.S. A LETTER FROM THE SCHOOL WITH THE HEAD MASTER’S SEAL WILL BE ARRIVING.

The second letter was to her uncle, Count Felix Van Breuher

DEAREST COUNT BREUHER,

I PRAY THAT BOTH YOUR ESTEEMED SELF AND MY BELOVED AUNT COUNTESS VAN BREUHER ARE DOING WELL. A BRIEF MOMENT PRIOR TO LEAVING ST. BARTHOLEMEW’S SCHOOL, I WAS GIVEN YOUR LETTER.

IN REGARDS TO YOUR LETTER, I MUST DENY THE REQUEST. ANOTHER OFFER HAS BEEN MADE THAT I HAVE ACCEPTED. TO THIS I MUST REQUEST YOUR BLESSING IN ONE ASPECT OF AFORE MENTIONED OFFER.

MY FATHER WILL GIVE HIS FULL BLESSINGS IF THE NATURE OF THE OFFER PROVES SERIOUS AND ABLE TO BE A RESPECTFUL SOURCE OF PROVISION. AS SUCH, POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES MAY BE OFFERED TO ALLOW SUCH TO BE ACQUIRED.

PLEASE CONSIDER MY REQUEST AND ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN.

RESPECTFULLY,
ALICE DI DRACULA

The third and final letter was sent to the esteemed Don Rosario Di Cappadochia

ESTEEMED DON ROSARIO,

I BEG YOUR FORGIVENESS IN SENDING YOU THREE LETTERS. IF TIME WAS NOT OF THE ESSENCE I WOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS MATTER IN PERSON.

ALONG WITH THIS LETTER ARE TWO OTHERS THAT MUST REACH MY FATHER AND COUNT FELIX VAN BREUHER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I PRAY THEE TO MAKE SURE THAT DRACO VAN BREUHER DOES NOT GET HIS HANDS ON THESE LETTERS.

BEFORE LEAVING ST. BARTHOLEMEW’S SCHOOL, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM COUNT VAN BREUHER THAT SPOKE OF HIS SON DRACO’S INTENT OF SEEKING MY FATHER’S BLESSING IN HAVING MY HAND IN MARRIAGE THREE NIGHTS AFTER FINISHING MY STUDIES AND PUBLICLY ANNOUNCING IT AT THE CHRISTMAS EVE FESTIVITIES.

BOTH COUNT FELIX AND MY FATHER ARE AWARE THAT MY HEART HAS CHOSEN TRISTAN. TO WHICH, TRISTAN SPOKE TO MY FATHER OF ALLOWING OUR UNION. HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO GAIN MY FATHER’S BLESSING, TRISTAN MUST PROVE BEYOND ALL DOUBT THAT HE IS SERIOUS AND ABLE TO PROVIDE A HOME WORTHY OF HIS DAUGHTER.

UPON TRISTAN’S REQUEST, I AM WRITING TO ASK YOUR HELP.; IF WE CAN ACQUIRE COUNT FELIX’S PERMISSION, TRISTAN SEEKS YOUR HELP IN ACQUIRING JOBS DURING THE DAY THAT COULD ALLOW HIM TO BUILD UP A KIND OF SAVINGS TO HELP BUILD A FURTURE LIFE WITH ME AND TO PROVE HIMSELF WORTHY AND NOT SIMPLY AS THE BAFOON HE IS SEEN AS BY SO MANY.

AT PRESENT WE ARE ON THE TRAIN HEADING HOME. I PRAY YOU CAN HELP US.

FOR THE RECORD, TRISTAN HAS ASKED ME TO BE HIS WIFE AND I HAVE AGREED.

HOPING YOU WILL HELP,
ALICE DI DRACULA

Placing the three letters into the envelope and sealing it with her ring, Alice took it to the mail car along with the letter from the head master’s office. Inside an older gentleman with glasses sat reading a newspaper.

“Excuse me sir,” Alice said softly so as not to startle the man.

“Ah,” he said gazing at her warmly. “What can I do for you miss?”

“When we stop,” she said politely “may I ask you to have these sent by messenger with haste?”

Looking at the names on the envelopes he cringed.

“This one to Father Don Rosario will be delivered with no problem. However, in all my years nobodywill go to the old castle.”

“Then let me have another envelope please and I’ll ask the esteemed Don Rosario to get it to the castle then,” Alice said plaing the letter in a new envelope and addressing it to Don Rosario and sealing it.

“That is fine miss,” the elderly man said. “Though might I ask why such a young one has business at the cursed castle?”

“My father works there and calls it home,” she said genuinely. It’s a letter from the head master of St. Bartholemew’s School giving a listing of new books and items I’ll need after the holidays.”

“That is a wonderful school,” he said narrowing his eyes. “How is the new head master Boris Casperovski?”

“You have my school mistaken with St. Gregory’s School of Advanced Studies. Our head master is Doctor Winchester Abercrombe Sinclare IV,” Alice said proudly. “Although I am currently studying history with Professor William Casperovski.”

“Forgive me child,” the old man said. “We were made aware that false messages were being sent from St. Bartholemew’s and I needed to make sure it was legitimate.”

I understand,” Alice said smiling.

“I’ll have these letters sent to Don Rosario di Cappadochia the moment we stop. It will cost five gold pieces to pay for the delivery,” he said seriously.

Giving him the coins, she left and returned to the car where Tristan was reading a letter he was given while she was gone.

TRISTAN-

HAVING ARRIVED EARLY FOR THE HOLIDAYS, I HAVE ASKED FATHER TO SPEAK TO COUNT DRACULA. I AM SEEKING ALICE’S HAND IN MARRIAGE. BE FOREWARNED THAT IF YOU DO ANYTHING TO INTERFERE I WILL DESTROY YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL!

DRACO

“What’s wrong,” Alice asked seeing the ticked off look on his face.

“I was brought a letter while you were out from Draco warning that he will destroy me if I interfere with his plans of seeking your hand in marriage,” he said annoyed.

“Well,” she said “we’ll deal with that later. I just had an interesting chat with the elderly man in the mail car. Apparently, false mail is going out with head master Sinclare’s seal and from what he said ‘nobody will take things to the cursed castle’.”

“I don’t trust this Alice,” Tristan said uneasily.

“That’s why I sent general notes on our graduation celebration,” she said lost in thought. “Our actual letters I gave to the man delivering messages and gave him six gold pieces to see them sent by a known courier with utmost discretion.

“I have a bad feeling Alice about all this,” Tristan said crumbling the note from Draco.

“I think we should get off the train and travel by carriage once we cross over the Romanian border. It will take three days off our travel and allow us to speak with Don Rosario on what is going on at home.”

“Good thinking love,” Tristan agreed. “We aren’t expected to arrive for a week.”

“I think for now we should relax and plan things out,” Alice sighed. “Though I must admit the idea of your brother being rendered to ask and scattered to the wind is rather appealing.”

Laughing, Tristan sat next to Alice and held her as they both got lost in their personal thoughts.